


Relapse

by SilverFliesInBlueSugar



Series: The Angst Chronicles [4]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Cutting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Eating Disorder(s), Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Poor Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Poor Nathalie Sancoeur, Self-Harm, anecdote, heavily alluded to child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-16 18:40:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16500668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverFliesInBlueSugar/pseuds/SilverFliesInBlueSugar
Summary: Adrien relapses. Nathalie comforts him.





	Relapse

He felt dead. He had been robbed on his way home, and his phone and money had been stolen. Nathalie had been shocked and horrified and clearly blamed herself for not picking him up. Gabriel had been stunned and quiet. He had allowed the rampant negativity to infest his mind and had locked himself in his room with only Plagg as comfort.

He pulled a razor from where he had hidden it, and took off his miraculous when Plagg started to protest.

He raised it to his wrist and pressed.

It cut, but there wasn't blood.

A sort of irrational anger overtook his mind.

'Oh, so i can't even cut myself right?!' he thought angrily, eye twitching. 'Am i really so useless and defenceless?!'

The thought seemed to spur him on and he slashed again without even thinking. This time the wound was much deeper and blood bloomed to the surface.

Again. And again. Each time more deep, wincing, closing his eyes, trying to stifle sobs.

"A-adrien?"

His head shot up, eyes bloodshot and terrified. 

Nathalie.

"Adrien... Stop. Please" she breathed. "You've been clean for weeks. Don't throw it away"

He swallowed thickly, eyes welling up again. "I-i..."

She kneeled down by him and held out a hand expectantly. He hesitated, wrist still freely bleeding. He finally handed the small object over, humiliation overtaking his mind.

"Sorry.." he murmered, trying to stem the wound with his hand. She shook her head silently, putting the blade into her blazer pocket before pulling him by the elbow to the bathroom, pulling anticeptic and bandages from the cupboard and instructing him to perch at the edge of the bath.

She slowly wrapped his arms, and put his hand underneath the tap to wash the blood off. He hung his head, green eyes swimming with tears.

"I'm really sorry.." he breathed, trembling. "I.. Just"

"I understand" Nath responded quietly, looking sick, though whether that was due to her disorder or the current situation was impossible to glean. She always looked pale now.

"I just..." he growled and dug his nails into his palm. "I-i felt so bad, and i KNOW it's dumb and immature and childish and-"

"Adrien" she cut him off gently, hand on his shoulder slipping off lift the sleeve of her own wrist. 3 cuts sat on it, clearly very old. He stared, shocked. She smiled softly at him. "These are made when i was 16 up until i was 23. There's nothing immature or childish about what you're doing. Don't tell yourself you're dumb for it, alright? You're just troubled, and that's why myself, your father and your friends want to help you"

Adrien swallowed before nodding. "...I know. Thank you"

She smiled, pulling her sleeve down. He twitched. "Why?"

She arched a brow. "Why what?"

"Why did you, erm.." he gestured at her wrist. She swallowed.

"Lapses in emotional restraint. 16, after my parents, erm-" she hesitated. "Hit me-" his head shot up, horrified. She continued. "21, when i lost my first job and very nearly went onto the streets and my parents refused to help" she closed her eyes and exhaled steadingly for a moment. "23, when Emilie-er-your mother left"

"..Oh" he finally said weakly. He had no response.

"Yes. I would rather you tell no one" she said simply. "I've only done it thrice and do not intend to ever again. The only thing that could cause it would be your or your father's deaths, honestly. You two matter to me an exceptional amount"

He smiled. "Thanks mum"

She froze, eyes wide. He stiffened up. "Sorry"

She allowed herself to chuckle. "It's alright Adrien, I'm... Appreciative that you see me as someone so close to you. Even if i could never want to replace Emilie"

He smiled, turning to leave back to his room before hesitating in the doorway. "Nath?" he looked at her over his shoulder, fingers curling on the door frame anxiously. "Thanks. For always helping me"

She nodded.

He left.


End file.
